First, before I even explain this situation to you, let me explain to everyone who reads this that I DO NOT keep personal information about my clients.  I don't return phone calls unless someone specifically states that it's ok to do so.  

I was contacted today by the wife of one of my clients.  She asked me my name and asked why her husband had my phone number on his phone bill so many times.  I told her my name "Jaclyn" and asked her husband's name, trying to make sure that this was not a prank, LE, or wrong number.  She told me her husband's name and I recognized it immediately as a client that I've seen several times.  I told her that I'm not sure why my number is on his phone bill and I was very convincing.  In other words, I just played dumb...

I'm not really sure if this was the best way to handle it, but it was what I thought of at the time.  Let me also add that this is the first time this has happened since I started doing this two years ago.  

Are there any alternative ways to handle this?  If so, what are they?  Providers and hobbyists, please feel free to respond!!!

Jaclyn

-- Modified on 4/9/2003 4:31:28 PM

it was the husband that screwed up. Using  a cell phone to contact a provider can be extremely expensive.  It not the phone's charges that add up , but the legal and settlement costs in divorce court.  My cell bill never sees the light of day in my house.  The bill goes to my office and disappears after payment.

And you are really clueless who her husband is.  Sound really calm and polite.  This happened to me too before and that's how I handled it.

Elysina

Your post made me think.  If a I got a call from someone whose voice I didn't recognize, and who started off asking my name and what about my number, I'd play dumb and hang up, or turn around and give them the third degree until they hung up.  I always feel uncomfortable when someone calls me and then asks me to identify myself.  It doesn't happen often, but it has probably happened to most of us.

I have an established business name and answer as such most of the time.  In four years I have had probably what I believed happened to you happen 4 times.  Each time I let it be known I was an established consulting business where I helped many business in all kind of business endeavours.  Most likely that was the reason my phone number had appear several times.  There was a quick apology and two even sounded embarrassed to be discovered they were checking on husbands.  I just said I didn't blame them for being concerned with unidentified numbers as the phone companies do make mistakes.  End of conversation have a nice day.

If someone calls not even knowing your name and starts seeking information, the only thing to do is turn it around and insist on knowing who's calling and what's their business.  And why are they calling you if they don't even know who you are?  Forgetting about suspicious wives for the moment, it's also a good way to protect yourself from identity theft, credit card fraud, potential burglars casing your place, and who knows what else.

And the caller can hardly complain under the circumstances.

Back to suspicious wives: once she's gotten to the point of calling your number, all you can do is CYOA.  Hubby is already toast, and his own stupid fault.

Having said that, you did pretty well for being taken at unawares.  Easy for the rest of us to come up with better when there's no pressure on us.

You did fine Jaclyn.  I suggest you block that number from your phone (most digital mobile phones have a block number capability).

For the guys, contact your phone service provider and request NO CALL DETAILS on the bill.  An alternative is to use a pre-paid long distance calling card/account.  In this case, only the access number will show up on the phone bill. You'd still have to explain why you use such a service when long distance is free on the mobile...  

That poor guy is toast...

Thank you everyone for your support and suggestions in this matter.  This was a bit unnerving to say the least.  However, I feel satisfied that it wasn't my fault that this guy's wife called me and that I did the best that I could at the time.  Since this was my first phone call of this type, I wasn't prepared.  Although I hope that there isn't a "next time," I will be more prepared if it does happen again.

Jaclyn

When you recieve a call from an irate Wife you tell her your a diamond broker or that you sell jewelery.  You explain to her that her husband has been looking for a special gift and now she has ruined the surprise.

You then contact the client and tell him he better start shopping.   LOL

That will teach the sucker for being stupid.

I love that diamond broker idea!  That is just too perfect!  lol!

I have had it happen many times before...My personal fav.  is the guy who left my number and directions to my place in the pocket of his pants.  I know who does the laundry in that family!  I just said that this is a consulting biz and that it must be a wrong number. Most gents in this area are consultants, so I took a chance with the odds on my side on that reply.  

In the future I am going to use that diamond broker idea.